Grand EZ-Strainer/Stopper

ABSTRACT

A flat flexible and centrally opened drain stopper which can cover any sort of drain and can completely surround the edge of a drain passage to cease the accumulation of hair and other debris from entering a drainage entry with its flat surface or widely distributed pegs depending on the application. The GrandEZ-Strainer/Stopper is placed around the circumference of a drain opening prior to the flow of waste water within a bathroom basin such as a sink, shower, or bathtub. This device is simple, safe, durable, easy to use, and will aid in eliminating the problem of having clogged drains.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the xeroxographic reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure in exactly the form it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, hut otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a drain strainer/stopper and in particular is directed toward sieve or strainer means detachably disposable in the drain hole of a sink, basin, tub or shower to catch loose hair, dislodged during shampooing or other washing, to prevent clogging of plumbing traps or the like.

Description of the Related Art

Various drain plugs or stoppers are known in the prior art for use in preventing fluid flow through various household drains. Several of the prior art inventions address the removal of the stoppers from the drain and utilize complex mechanisms therefor.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,847 to Spears discloses a drain stopper with a lift mechanism and a straining assembly attached thereto. The lift mechanism consists of lever having numerous rods and a cumbersome straining assembly which will result in increased expense in making the same.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,196 to Humlan discloses a drain stopper with an inverted conical head having a coaxially mounted shaft extending therefrom having a slidable piston therein to assist in the insertion and the removal of the drain stopper. The moving parts of the Humlan invention may be susceptible to failure through repetitive use thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,333 to Stephens discloses a drain stopper having, a spring element therein and threaded elements for engaging the peripheral surface. The Stephens invention requires many components to be assembled and may increase the cost of manufacture thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,507 to Craig et al. discloses an adjustable drain stopper that is mounted onto the plumbing fixture. The Craig invention does not allow use thereof independent of the plumbing fixture.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,430, to Brown et al. discloses an adapter for sink drains that accommodates and connects a pipe into a drain opening at the bottom of the sink. The Brown invention fails to provide a drain stopper that completely occludes the drain opening.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,597, to Taylor, Jr. et al. provides a drain plug assembly having a threaded bolt which extends through several rubberized components and screws the assembly into the drain opening. The Taylor invention has numerous components which increase the cost of manufacture and the complexity of use.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,328 to Lewis discloses a drain plug having a slidable member, inlet and outlet ports, a sealing member, and a spring element for allowing closure and opening, thereof. The Lewis invention also requires numerous components which increase the cost of manufacture and possible failure thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,545 to Pan discloses a drain plug having a main body fastened with a sink and numerous components attaching the cover body to the main body and operating the same. The Pan invention may not be used independently and has numerous components that may increase the cost of production and possibility of failure.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,844 to Killham discloses a drain plug having an outer housing enclosing a screen poi Lion therein and a plurality of slots surrounding the housing to allow fluid flow there through. The Killham invention does not provide a means for easy removal of the same from the drain opening.

The GrandEZ-Strainer/Stopper brings forth an improvement to end a common household dilemma of having clogged drains clue to hair and other debris in a bathroom environment. The new invention is conceived to trap hair and other debris to maintain a free-flowing water system in any bathroom utility such as a sink, shower, or bathtub. The accumulation of these materials may be easily discarded after use of the strainer/stopper. The drain entrance will be protected by pegs trapping hair and other dirt items which will trap and hold the debris until being discarded. This invention may be utilized with different drain sizes, pop-up stoppers, and strainers.

None of the inventions provide a system that can be easily installed and removed and is much easier to clean. None of the previous inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the quick install method of slipping over the existing pop-up stopper as claimed. Hence, the inventor of the present invention proposes to resolve and surmount existent technical difficulties to eliminate the aforementioned shortcomings of prior art.

SUMMARY

In light of the disadvantages of the prior art, the following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the present invention and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the invention can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.

The primary object of the invention is related to an advancement in offering a drain strainer or stopper in general and in particular to a drain stopper which can fix leaky pop-up stoppers and/or a strainer that can trap hair and thus avoiding them to get clogged in.

It is further the objective of the invention to create a reusable, safe, durable, and easy to use hair and debris strainer or stopper. This tool will trap unwanted hair and debris in a bathtub, shower, and sink utilizing pegs trapping posts resting on a base, these posts will serve as a barrier and collection site before the debris has a chance to enter a drain entrance. This invention will prevent drain accumulation of hair and debris which causes clogs over a prolonged period of waste exposure.

It is moreover the objective of the invention to provide s a 360 degree drain protection system in which will serve as an effortless way in protecting and preserving the pipe system in any household or similar environment.

It is also the objective of the invention to provide a reusable 100 percent food grade silicon product that can be easily removed, cleaned, and remounted from a bathtub, shower, or sink. This invention comes in different sizes and diameters that can be utilized with a strainer or pop-up stopper already existing within the drain entrance with no additional tools or mechanical ability necessary.

It is further an aspect of an example embodiment in the present disclosure provides a drain strainer/stopper which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is further the objective of the invention to provide a drain strainer/stopper which is of a durable and reliable construction and aesthetically pleasing as well.

It is the further objective of the present invention to provide a simplicity of its design and a drain stopper which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor.

It is also the objective of the invention to provide drain strainer/stopper which is economically available to the consuming public.

This Summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example embodiments, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures, and Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows top view of assembly as per preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows basal view of assembly with pegs as per preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows complete front view of assembly with pegs as per preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows back view of assembly with pegs as per preferred embodiments of the invention.

The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

FIG. 1 represents the GrandEZ-Strainer/Stopper from a top view. The top view displays the base, pegs acting as hair trapping mechanism 2, and the raised edges. The base will be wide enough to accommodate the raised edges and rows of pegs which acts as a hair trapping mechanism to trap hair and other debris. The openings of the trapper posts are facing the outer portion of the invention to collect the waste in the water.

FIG. 2 refers to the GrandEZ-Strainer/Stopper from a bottom view. This view displays the pegs that are widely and equally distributed around the base that will allow the stopper to rest firmly on any bathroom utility and trap the hair, also providing support for the whole invention.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 discloses the GrandEZ-Strainer/Stopper side views which acts a hair strainer to make sure that user is able to remove hair before it goes down and the stoppers will allow to make leaky old pop-up stoppers finally stop leaking and hold water so that user can soak clothes, dentures, brushes or combs.

The assembly as per its further embodiments requires minimal efforts to install. The assembly can be installed by simply slipping it over existing bathroom drain pop-up stoppers. It will help to close any gaps left behind and thus serve the purpose of straining/stopping the drain efficiently.

The assembly as per its additional embodiments is developed from food-grade silicon materials that will serve you sink drain strainer/stopping needs without posing any risks whatsoever to household health. The material is additional BPA-free to ensure that user is using a product that is 100% safe for use at home.

While a specific embodiment has been shown and described, many variations are possible for instance with pegs for straining and without pegs for stopping. With time, additional features may be employed. The particular shape or configuration of the platform or the interior configuration may be changed to suit the system or equipment with which it is used.

Having described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from its spirit, Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiment illustrated and described, Rather, it is intended that the scope of this invention be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter. 

1. The present invention is flat and flexible with an open center, that surrounds and covers the circumference of drains entrances to prevent hair and other debris from entering and clogging drain systems in a bathroom environment.
 2. The strainer/stopper is comprised of a 100 percent food safe silicone material that rests flush and firmly against any bathroom utility, such as a sink, bathtub, or shower. This device will not cause any harm to the person using the device or bathroom utility.
 3. The base of the hair strainer/stopper is a circular surface that serves as a resting place for the trapping posts or a flat surface depending on the application. The pegs are widely distributed across the base and will serve as a barrier or trapper that will collect hair and debris from the waste water. These pegs are numerous enough and off-set into three separate rows that will serve as the defense mechanism to trap the hair and debris before it attempts to enter a drain passage.
 4. The removal and installation of this invention is quite simple due to the flexibility of the silicon that fits easily over an existing pop-up stopper.
 5. The GrandEZ-Strainer/Stopper may be designated for any size bathroom utility using an existing pop-up stopper or strainer that rests inside a drain entrance. 